The Best Alarm Clock That Gets You Up And Keeps You Up

With so many models on the market, it’s difficult to pick out the best alarm clock to wake you up. This is especially problematic if you sleep like the dead and not even a tornado would be able to wake you up. How do you NOT miss your alarm? By picking the right one, of course?

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This buying guide will teach you what to look for in a good alarm clock, but will also recommend some products that have gained popularity among the sleepy users.

Why Should You Choose Your Alarm Clock Carefully

Picture this: you’re a heavy sleeper in need of an alarm clock, and you go in the first store you know and grab the first item you see. Here’s the thing, though: if you don’t know what you are choosing, you might end up apologizing to your boss the next day, praying that you won’t get fired.

Heavy sleepers don’t do well with silent alarm clocks because – obviously – they won’t hear it. The same goes with clocks that have ascending melodies. The tune will work its way through the dream and, once more, you’ll end up sleeping through the alarm.

On the other hand, if you’re a light sleeper and unknowingly choose a very loud alarm clock with nuclear bomb sirens, then it’s a one-way ticket with the ambulance to the hospital so that you can recover from a heart attack. That’s not a very good way to wake up, no matter how you look at it.

And what if you want to go camping or on a trip? In that case, an alarm clock with an outlet connection wouldn’t be a very smart choice – unless you found some way to connect it to a tree.

It also wouldn’t be a good idea to get an alarm clock that will fill half your suitcase; it’s not travel-friendly at all. This is one of the many reasons why you need to be very careful about the clock that you choose.

By taking some time when choosing the best alarm clock, you will make sure that you wake up even from the deepest state of sleep, but also that you wake up in a state of tranquility. It will be a convenient accessory instead of a boring burden on your nightstand.

What To Pay Attention To

We’ve established that you need to pay very close attention when buying an alarm clock – but what exactly should we be attentive to? Well, here are some things that you may want to be particularly careful about.

Types Of Alarm Clocks

The first thing you need to consider is what kind of alarm clock you need. Do you want a digital one, or could you settle for an analog alarm? Bear in mind that analog alarm clocks don’t usually have any choices when it comes to the sound – it’ll probably be the same ring over and over again.

Unless you go for one of the newer models that maybe can be connected to radio, a USB, or at least has some other sound choices, you’d be driven insane by the same ring over and over.

The best-rated alarm clock is usually in digital form, since it has more visibility throughout the night and has extra features; however, that will also depend on its specifications. No matter if it’s digital or analog, you need to establish what kind of sleeper you are. If you tend to wake up at the slightest sound, then you may want to go for a gentle wake-up alarm clock.

On the other hand, if nothing seems to wake you up, you need to choose an alarm clock for heavy sleepers. Those are equipped with features such as a very loud alarm, bed shakers, bright LED lights and anything that might help wake you up – if only to stop the annoying sound.

If you are traveling, you may also want to invest in a travel alarm clock. Those are usually tiny enough to place in a pocket and work on batteries so that you can place them anywhere.

Last but not least, do you want it for your kids or yourself? If you are looking for the best children’s alarm clock, then you may want to get something with a nice design that’s also easy to use. Children won’t be able to deal with overly complicated settings.

Power Source

There are two ways to go with the power source: you either go for batteries or one that you can plug into an outlet. Usually, the ones plugged into outlets are fairly convenient, since you do not have to bother with batteries. The bad news is that, unless it’s one of the newer and fancier models, it won’t have an automatic time setting.

Therefore, if the power goes off for a few seconds in the middle of the night and then comes back again, your alarm clock will lose all of its settings – and guess who will be like a headless chicken when they wake up and discover that they overslept.

Battery-powered alarm clocks may be placed anywhere and you can even take them camping with you. It’s the best alarm clock if you do not have access to a power outlet. They will, however, need constant battery replacement, which can be very costly in the long run.

Ease Of Use

Getting a fancy alarm clock with many features that you can take advantage of: priceless. Getting one with features that you have no idea how and why you should use: waste of money.

We want alarm clocks that have as many features as possible; but if those features make it difficult to operate, then it will become a pain to set it every evening – depending on the type of alarm clock.

Now, our advice is not to get an alarm clock that is as plain as it can be; you should get one that won’t take five settings, ten buttons, and the summoning of a demon to set the alarm. The instructions for the best alarm clock should be clear and easily understandable, and should not turn your evening routine into a hassle.

Multiple Alarm Settings

Does it have a snooze button? What about multiple ringtone options? Can you connect it to other devices via Bluetooth? Or choose your favorite song to wake you up? Or can you set it so that the radio starts playing? These settings are very convenient to look for in an alarm clock.

Also, can you set more than one alarm to ring at different times? If I’m scheduled to wake up every Saturday at 8 AM, I don’t want my alarm to go off at 6 AM as it does during the week. The more alarms you can have, the less you will have to bother with setting the alarm every evening.

Adjustability

Ok, so we have a snooze setting – but can we adjust that or can we only snooze for 10 minutes at a time? What if I really want just “five more minutes”? Or what if that is not enough and I need 15 minutes? Based on the kind of sleeper that you are, the snooze button can really be a matter of life and death.

You also need to look into things such as whether you have an adjustable volume or not. This will make the alarm convenient for every type of sleeper. For instance, if you can set multiple alarms, you can set the first one on low for yourself as a light sleeper – and you can blast the second one on high for your spouse, the heavy sleeper.

Our Recommendations For The Best Alarm Clock

Not sure what the best buy alarm clock is? Well, we have a few suggestions for you. Tested by all kinds of sleepers, these ranked at the top of alarm clocks, ensuring that they will wake even the dead if they have to.

Best Gentle Wake Up Alarm Clock: Philips Wake-up Light

Wake up lights aren’t anything new under the sun, but they are slowly becoming more and more popular among those looking for the best silent alarm clock. If the sound is not the main way that you want to be woken up with, this alarm clock will use led lights to mimic a sunrise and gradually wake you up.

As for sounds, they are as natural as they can be. You have everything from birds chirping to cuckoos, seagulls, and gentle piano songs. You’ll be woken in a peaceful state of mind rather than becoming a grumpy cat for the rest of the day.

Here are the features that make this gentle wake up alarm clock so unique and the best alarm clock there is for light sleepers.

Notable Features Of Gentle Wake Up Alarm

Tap-to-snooze option that lets you sleep for 10 more minutes. During the snooze time, the sounds will turn off – but the light will stay on.

​Five natural sounds and FM radio that you can choose according to preferences.

​Sunrise and sunset simulation that will start 20-40 minutes before the sounds go off (you can adjust the time yourself).

Auto-dimming display that automatically brings down the light of the alarm clock once the sun sets. This will allow you to sleep without being disturbed.

​Two alarm settings that will let you set alarms for both yourself and your spouse.

Overview

Keep in mind that this alarm clock is designed mainly for light sleepers. If you are a heavy sleeper, you might just sleep right through it. They are, however, bright enough to wake up anyone from light to medium.

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Our Rating

This alarm is also perfect for those who don’t like worrying about their alarm every evening. You just set two alarms – one for you and one for your spouse – and it will remember these settings every day.

Even the snooze button will activate itself on and off if it sees that you chose to ignore the alarm – but you can also tap to snooze it. Don’t worry, though; it will go off soon enough. Overall, this is a very good alarm clock to have at hand.

Cons

Best Robotic Alarm Clock: Clocky Alarm Clock On Wheels

If you’re a heavy sleeper who hits the snooze button out of reflex every morning and continuously oversleeps, then Clocky is the one for you. It will make sure you’re out of bed right away – if only to smash the creature making all the racket.

Main features Of The Clocky Alarm Clock

Wheels that allow the alarm clock to “roll off” the nightstand and get away from you.

It beeps loudly until you actually get up and catch it.

Durable and sturdy construction that can resist a 3ft fall from a nightstand

​Uses four AAAA batteries

Overall, this seems like the best alarm clock that will never allow you to oversleep again.

Overview

There’s a reason why many people call this alarm the “Hell on Wheels.” Once you hit the snooze button, this alarm clock will roll off your nightstand and run away beeping until you catch it and turn it off. You’ll literally start your day with a sprint.

You obviously have the option to make it stay on the nightstand without it running off and waking the neighbors; however, if you’re a very heavy sleeper, you’ll be better off with the second option.

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Our Rating

When it comes to sounds, Clocky is unique. Instead of only having a single tone, it presents a series of random tones that beep loudly and rather robotically. It’s probably the best loud alarm clock there is.

This alarm clock can only be snoozed once, after which it shuts itself off; however, there aren’t any chances that you’ll need a second snooze with this one. It runs on batteries, so make sure to recharge it.

Cons

Best Bluetooth Alarm Clock: iHome Color Changing Dual Alarm

Some people like having their favorite songs waking them up, which is why this is the best alarm clock that they can get their hands on. This device will add color and excitement to your music, and it will wake you up exactly the way you want it to.

Main Features Of This Alarm Clock:

The alarm tone can be set to FM Radio, Bluetooth audio, or a built-in tone.

It can stream music from any Bluetooth-enabled device.

​Wake-up color modes that can shuffle from 5 changing colors – colors that can also be changed by touching a single button.

​The speakers can be paired with your cell phone, the device being equipped with a microphone as well as Talk & End conversation buttons.

The product has a very solid build, and if you were to “accidentally” knock it off the nightstand, it would most likely survive. It’s the best iHome alarm clock for anyone wanting to add a dose of style in their home.

Overview

The iHome is a very versatile product, in the sense that it does not only work as an alarm clock. It can be connected to your phone or computer via Bluetooth so that you can listen to music, but it also has six radio presets. For every music lover, this is sound heaven.

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Our Rating

The speakers are also very well-designed. The Reson-8 chamber makes the sound really resonate through the room, and the voice echo cancellation makes it a soothing experience for your ears. It’s perfect not only for waking you up but for setting the mood for parties as well.

Pros

The color-changing theme looks very stylish

The speakers are loud, so it works perfectly both when it comes to waking you up and entertaining a room full of people

Cons

Best Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers: SonicAlert Bunker Bomb

On par with the Clocky, this one uses vibrations to get you out of bed. Not only is the alarm clock equipped with a very loud beep, but the 12-volt bed shaker will literally shake you out of bed. You just place it under your pillow, and you won’t even need a spouse to push you to wake up already.

Overview

This digital alarm clock has an adjustable snooze setting that goes from 1 to 30 minutes – your choice. The alarm can also go from 1 to 59 minutes – also your choice.

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Our Rating

This alarm clock may not have Bluetooth connectivity or radio presets, but it will definitely do the job that it was made to do: get you out of bed every single day.

This is the kind of alarm clock that you will simply love to hate – especially since it was not meant for you. It is great for those who has extreme difficulties in waking up, and for those who tried to do everything.

Alarm tone settings that may be adjusted from built-in tones to FM radio

Dual alarm and snooze option

Overview

It can also automatically set the date and time, so if the power ever goes off in the middle of the night, your settings won’t be lost. The display is nice and clear – both on the clock and on your wall or ceiling. It can show anything you want from time to temperature, and you can even adjust the focus and dimensions to your preferences.

Our Rating

No matter if you are looking for the best bedroom alarm clock or just something to show the time to your guests clearly, this is a good device to invest in.

Pros

The display is clear and easily readable

It doesn’t have too many buttons, so it’s easy to set

It doesn’t take up too much space

Cons

Final Thoughts

It’s never easy to pick out the best alarm clock, especially considering the high number of devices that are on the market today. However, once you discover what kind of sleeper you are, it will be easy for you to pick out something appropriate.

No matter if you are looking for the best kid alarm clock or one that will work even on zombies, you have where to pick from. For example, you may want to try one of the alarm clocks mentioned above.